Personal Finance

Best airport lounge access credit card

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  • Sep 8th, 2012 8:55 pm
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Jr. Member
Jun 28, 2012
113 posts
31 upvotes

Best airport lounge access credit card

What is the best card for airport lounge access? I know Amex has one but quite expensive.

Thanks,
27 replies
Deal Addict
Feb 24, 2007
1371 posts
55 upvotes
burrows wrote: What is the best card for airport lounge access? I know Amex has one but quite expensive.

Thanks,
BMO elite is the only personal card other than Amex that offers lounge access, it comes in the form of a free basic priority pass and it gives your first 3 visits free per year. $150 fee though. 1.9% return and good insurance.

Diners club had it but they don't offer personal card anymore, only corporate.
Deal Fanatic
Feb 15, 2006
9183 posts
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Toronto
halflife150 wrote: BMO elite is the only personal card other than Amex that offers lounge access, it comes in the form of a free basic priority pass and it gives your first 3 visits free per year. $150 fee though. 1.9% return and good insurance.

Diners club had it but they don't offer personal card anymore, only corporate.
Oh, that's good to know. Thanks.
Jr. Member
Jun 28, 2012
113 posts
31 upvotes
halflife150 wrote: BMO elite is the only personal card other than Amex that offers lounge access, it comes in the form of a free basic priority pass and it gives your first 3 visits free per year. $150 fee though. 1.9% return and good insurance.

Diners club had it but they don't offer personal card anymore, only corporate.
Thanks HL....... BMO or Diners Club are actually both good options. Diners club is a bit cheaper and Im ok to register under my personal corp.

Does anyone know if a corporation credit check is associated with a personal credit check if I own the corporation? I dont want to do too many checks on my credit check because i just got a new mastercard recently.
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Nov 23, 2005
9005 posts
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halflife150 wrote: Diners club had it but they don't offer personal card anymore, only corporate.
Still can't believe Diners is not offering personal cards. They were taken over by BMO over 2 years ago and have yet to put it out. Although, under Diners Club, access was around $27USD I think per visit.
Member
Apr 17, 2009
483 posts
95 upvotes
Air Canada Amex is not bad; 500$ fee but they usually have promotions for 40k bonus aeroplan points upon sign up (worth around 600$).
Newbie
Apr 18, 2012
22 posts
10 upvotes
Toronto
My opinion will be Amex Platinum Reward Canada. Although many people say the annual fee is steep at $699 but actually it's free for the first year if you know how to manage it. If you like it keep it after first year or cancel it if you do not see the benefits for you. The trick is if you have a referral link you will receive 60000 sign up bonus with $3000 spend in the first 3 months, you will also receive $200 credit every year for travel related expenses. For the 60000 sign up bonus you may transfer to different airline programs or redeem as statement credits of $600 toward your travel expenses such as flights, hotels, car rentals etc within 12 months of your expense transaction..Of course you will have access to many many airport business lounges around the world regardless which airline you are flying. Also, you may bring one guest in for free or spouse & up to 2 kids. how can you go wrong with that. Plus many free hotel upgrades if available and other benefits.
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Apr 10, 2010
1398 posts
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The $200 travel credit, are you going to receive it the first year you have it? Essentially, will I get both the sign up bonus of 50000 points AND the $200 travel credit when I sign up?
Newbie
Apr 18, 2012
22 posts
10 upvotes
Toronto
513263337 wrote: The $200 travel credit, are you going to receive it the first year you have it? Essentially, will I get both the sign up bonus of 50000 points AND the $200 travel credit when I sign up?
Yes and Yes. If you have the referral link you will receive an additional 10000 sign up bonus to a total of 60000
Deal Addict
Feb 24, 2007
1371 posts
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boyoflondon wrote: Still can't believe Diners is not offering personal cards. They were taken over by BMO over 2 years ago and have yet to put it out. Although, under Diners Club, access was around $27USD I think per visit.
Was hit and miss, some lounges required fees and some were completely free for holders. Was an alright card if looking for lounges, but other than that I think is now trumped by Aspire. I think the BMO Elite was basically the replacement for the Diners club since it is somewhat similar. I think personal diners club is dead for good.
burrows wrote: Thanks HL....... BMO or Diners Club are actually both good options. Diners club is a bit cheaper and Im ok to register under my personal corp.

Does anyone know if a corporation credit check is associated with a personal credit check if I own the corporation? I dont want to do too many checks on my credit check because i just got a new mastercard recently.
I could be wrong and you could always try, but I doubt they give corporate cards to small personal corps. I was thinking it was more for large corporate clients. Give them a call and ask, report back what they say.
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Feb 9, 2003
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ilovetravel wrote: Yes and Yes. If you have the referral link you will receive an additional 10000 sign up bonus to a total of 60000
How do I get a referral link?

Do you get $200 each year? So I get $200 now and another $200 in Jan for one membership fee?
Deal Addict
Mar 9, 2003
1017 posts
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ilovetravel wrote: Yes and Yes. If you have the referral link you will receive an additional 10000 sign up bonus to a total of 60000
It should be noted that this increased bonus requires $3k spending vs the standard 50k MR / $1k spend in 3 months.
Member
Jan 19, 2012
270 posts
93 upvotes
Montreal
TD First Class has some lounges around Canada. The card cost 120$, but if you open a Select Service account with a minimum balance of 5000$, the card is free!

You can look at it as an investment return of 2.4% + a bunch of perks from the SS account and the credit card!
Jr. Member
Jun 28, 2012
113 posts
31 upvotes
beaulieu22 wrote: TD First Class has some lounges around Canada. The card cost 120$, but if you open a Select Service account with a minimum balance of 5000$, the card is free!

You can look at it as an investment return of 2.4% + a bunch of perks from the SS account and the credit card!
Thanks! I didnt know that. I actually have a TD first class visa as my main card. Do you know if I can access the lounge at YVR? thats where I would mainly go.
Member
Jan 19, 2012
270 posts
93 upvotes
Montreal
burrows wrote: Thanks! I didnt know that. I actually have a TD first class visa as my main card. Do you know if I can access the lounge at YVR? thats where I would mainly go.
You could check. I know they have a really cool one in Montreal. It use to be National Bank and they switched it to TD recently. Ask the airport!
Deal Addict
Feb 24, 2007
1371 posts
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i6s1 wrote: How do I get a referral link?

Do you get $200 each year? So I get $200 now and another $200 in Jan for one membership fee?
Referral link only gets you extra 10k MR points. The $200 voucher is a yearly benefit open to all cardholders.
beaulieu22 wrote: TD First Class has some lounges around Canada. The card cost 120$, but if you open a Select Service account with a minimum balance of 5000$, the card is free!

You can look at it as an investment return of 2.4% + a bunch of perks from the SS account and the credit card!
Really? I've never heard of that, nor is there any indication on TD site or Infinite site about that benefit. Care to explain how it works, figure that would be an important benefit that they should advertise if true.
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Feb 9, 2003
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I'm gonna think about it... I don't have many flights coming up so I won't be able to take advantage of it, but maybe I'll do it in the fall. But I'm still curious about the $200, since I'm getting conflicting information. I think it's a new bonus so it might just be that nobody knows for sure yet.
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Apr 10, 2010
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ilovetravel wrote: Yes and Yes. If you have the referral link you will receive an additional 10000 sign up bonus to a total of 60000
Thanks.
Member
Jan 19, 2012
270 posts
93 upvotes
Montreal
halflife150 wrote: Referral link only gets you extra 10k MR points. The $200 voucher is a yearly benefit open to all cardholders.



Really? I've never heard of that, nor is there any indication on TD site or Infinite site about that benefit. Care to explain how it works, figure that would be an important benefit that they should advertise if true.
https://fr.foursquare.com/v/td-first-cl ... 0c9f9e607f
Deal Addict
Nov 6, 2003
3519 posts
435 upvotes
Calgary
In addition to the TD First Class Infinite card, it seems you can add on the Priority Pass for a fee

Standard member :$79 annual fee + visit fee of $27 + Guest Fee $27
Prestige member : $319 annual fee + free visits + Guest $27

I have three trips coming up, I wonder if it is worth the pay the price of lounge visits.

https://www.prioritypass.com/Join/What-It-Costs.cfm

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